Former Chairman, Andhra Pradesh State Human Rights Commission, Justice B. Subhashan Reddy on Monday said that while enough laws were in place to protect the girl child, what was lacking was their implementation.

Worst position

“The girl child is in a worst position in India, even in comparison to countries like Afghanistan and Pakistan. Even today, the line that it is a curse to be born a girl is heard ever-so-often and we need to introspect why it is so,” he said, giving away the UNICEF Awards 2012 for Gender-Sensitive programmes in Telugu television channels here, as UNICEF's chief here, Yogendra Mathur, felicitated the recipients.

He recalled that the Pre-Natal Diagnostics and Technique Act & Rules, 1994, was framed only to ensure screening foetus for health and progress of growth. But, unfortunately, the technology was being used for sex determination and lakhs of lives being snuffed out in the mother's womb itself, he rued.

HMTV bagged four of 15 awards, including one for being the ‘Most Gender Sensitive Channel'. The others were for Best Documentary (‘Nettuti Vadha'), Reporting (‘Uttunga Tarangam' by Attaluri Aruna) and Scriptwriter Attaluri Aruna (‘Kanchiki Cherani Kathalu').

Slideshow

Preparation for celebrating the Festival of Colours - Holi is in full swing with small-time vendors and in Begum Bazar and others areas in Hyderabad stocking materials like colours and Chinese sprayers. Photos: Mohammed Yousuf.